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Pull ups - advice please

12-12-2011, 01:32 AM

Hi everyone....I'm new to PB and have been lurking around the boards for a few days, so now for my first question.

Diet is going well, but I need to start doing some heavy lifting. Problem is that I hate the gym and really don't want to join one. I know that there are lots of bodyweight alternatives and I can work out at home, but the only problem seems to be around pull ups....I don't have a pull up bar, or anywhere I could put one in my house. Are there any alternative exercises I could do?

Comment

Hi everyone....I'm new to PB and have been lurking around the boards for a few days, so now for my first question.

Diet is going well, but I need to start doing some heavy lifting. Problem is that I hate the gym and really don't want to join one. I know that there are lots of bodyweight alternatives and I can work out at home, but the only problem seems to be around pull ups....I don't have a pull up bar, or anywhere I could put one in my house. Are there any alternative exercises I could do?

Cheers

In the infamous words of Randy Couture's crappy attempt at a home-fitness machine: "YOU GOT A DOOR!? YOU GOT A GYM!"

There are inexpensive pull-up bars that stretch sideways between door frames (much like the bars used to put up curtains in a bathroom) problem solved. You've no idea what the simple pull-up can do for you, do not neglect it or look for ways around it. There is no alternative that does the same for you, none. Besides, with the bar I mentioned you can move it up and down the door and do a myriad of other exercises: australian pull ups, straight bar dips, tricep extensions (think inverted "skull crushers"), muscle-ups, front and back levers (and the progression steps required to get there), etc.

Comment

Several time my playground workouts have attracted kids who came over and started barking exercises to me. It was actually quite fun. It worked really well because they were trying to throw enough stuff at me to give me something I couldn't do.

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Several time my playground workouts have attracted kids who came over and started barking exercises to me. It was actually quite fun. It worked really well because they were trying to throw enough stuff at me to give me something I couldn't do.

Lol, I've had that happen too. I also like when they join in and start trying to do what I'm doing. Kids are cool.

+1. Pullups are one of the best and most beneficial exercises you can do, and if you ever progress with them to the point of doing muscleups then you're set. The muscleup is, IMO, the single best upper body exercise ever. It all starts with the pullup though, and no solid fitness routine should be without!

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Cheers for the advice guys. I don't want to wimp out, and I'm getting that pull ups are super important. Not sure I'm brave enough to attempt pull ups in a public park....my upper body strength is pretty rubbish just now. The issue with my doors is that they're not very solid and the walls are mostly flimsy partition walls so I have grave doubts that a pull up bar will take my weight and not bring half of the doorframe/wall down. I'm wondering whether a TRX type system might do the trick instead?

Comment

Cheers for the advice guys. I don't want to wimp out, and I'm getting that pull ups are super important. Not sure I'm brave enough to attempt pull ups in a public park....my upper body strength is pretty rubbish just now. The issue with my doors is that they're not very solid and the walls are mostly flimsy partition walls so I have grave doubts that a pull up bar will take my weight and not bring half of the doorframe/wall down. I'm wondering whether a TRX type system might do the trick instead?

Yeah if you've got a place to hang them from then sure, you can loop a bar through whatever you're using for handles. Bam, trapeze artist.